In a joint statement released Friday afternoon, the DGA and AMPTP said they will meet Saturday, Jan. 12, at AMPTP headquarters in Encino, Calif. The current contract expires June 30. Both agreed to maintain a media block while negotiations are underway.

Many industry insiders hope a DGA-AMPTP deal could potentially help get the striking Writers Guild of America and the AMPTP back to the table. The DGA announced last month that it planned to meet with the producers and studios in the new year, saying that it had held off for two months out of respect for the WGA.